Source: New Zealand Police
Puketaha Road and Taylor Road are closed near the intersection following a seirous crash this afternoon.
Police were called to the two-vehicle crash at around 1pm.
Initial indicators are that there has been critical injuries.
The Serious Crash Unit have been advised and the roads will remain blocked while emergecny services work at the scene.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area where possible and expect delays.
ENDS
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government will invest more than $80 million in research projects starting this year, for projects that have transformative potential for New Zealand’s economy, health, and environment, says Science, Innovation, and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti.
“107 Marsden Fund projects will be funded over the next three years, supporting both established research leaders and the next generation of emerging scientists,” Dr Reti says.
“The Marsden Fund invests in investigator-led, innovative research to foster breakthrough discoveries with the potential to deliver lasting benefits for our economy, environment, and wellbeing.
“The Government is committed to investing in blue skies research that sparks innovative thinking, drives the development of new skills, and generates transformative knowledge for New Zealand’s future.
“As we introduce a new science funding system to better support our scientists, industry, and economy, we will continue to champion a diverse portfolio of research activities – including blue skies, strategic, mission-led, applied, commercialisation, and industry-focused projects.”
The latest funding round includes 37 Fast-Start grants for emerging scientists, 68 Standard grants, and two Marsden Fund Council Awards supporting large interdisciplinary projects.
Funded projects span from biomedical breakthroughs and climate resilience to mathematical innovation and advanced technology. Examples include:
Improving cancer treatment through advanced cell therapies (Malaghan Institute of Medical Research)
Turning geothermal waste heat into electricity for cleaner, more efficient industry (Earth Sciences New Zealand)
Tackling drug-resistant tuberculosis, especially in high risk Māori and Pasifika communities (University of Otago)
Harnessing native plant microbiomes to boost crop resilience (Bioeconomy Science Institute)
“These projects show the breadth and ambition of New Zealand’s research community, and the Government’s commitment to supporting ideas that will shape our future,” Dr Reti says.
The full list of funded projects and further information is available on the Royal Society Te Apārangi website: https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/funds-and-opportunities/marsden/awarded-grants/marsden-fund-awards-2025
Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries
Biosecurity New Zealand is asking Aucklanders to remain vigilant for yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) on the North Shore.
“We’ve had a fantastic response so far from the public to our request for help with surveillance. To date, we’ve received more than 1,000 notifications via email and phone with no new confirmed finds since the weekend,” says Mike Inglis, North commissioner, Biosecurity New Zealand.
Since 17 October, Biosecurity New Zealand has found 4 confirmed queen hornets and safely removed their nests. Three were detected in Glenfield and one in Birkdale, about 1.3 km from the initial detection in Glenfield.
“To support surveillance, Biosecurity New Zealand is laying traps in a measured way in areas where females have been found. By the end of today, we will have 120 traps in the field.
“This is the first time we’ve found yellow-legged hornets in New Zealand. We responded quickly to this threat, but we continue to need the public’s help to eliminate any further risk,” Mr Inglis says.
“Many countries throughout Europe and Asia have yellow-legged hornet and manage it. However, we don’t want it here and that is why we’re tracking it down.”
Yellow-legged hornets pose a biosecurity risk because of their potential impact on honeybee and wild bee populations.
Members of the public are asked to report any sightings of suspected hornets or nests, but only if they have a specimen, a clear photo of the suspected hornet, or have found a possible hornet nest.
Reports can be made through report.mpi.govt.nz or by calling Biosecurity New Zealand’s exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966.
For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328
Look out for hornets – Pamphlet [PDF, 637 KB]
Source: University of Auckland (UoA)
The advent of vaping slowed progress on reducing smoking, especially for Māori and Pacific teens.
The rise of vaping in Aotearoa, New Zealand may be slowing progress in reducing smoking and widening inequities between Māori and Pacific adolescents and others of the same age.
Published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, the study analysed data on vaping and smoking from almost 600,000 year 10 students aged 14 to 15 years.
“The emergence of vaping appears to have undermined progress in reducing regular smoking, especially among Māori and Pacific youth who were already facing disproportionate tobacco-related harm,” says Dr Lucy Hardie, a population health researcher at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
The researchers, who were from the Universities of Otago, Auckland and Sydney, and the Daffodil Centre for cancer research, compared smoking trends for different ethnicities from 2003 to 2009 (before vaping became common in Aotearoa) with those from 2010 to 2024 (when vaping became increasingly common).
“We found that the introduction of vaping may have impacted young Māori more than other groups, as progress in reducing smoking slowed more in young Māori than in the other groups,” says Hardie.
Between 2003 and 2024, rates of regular smoking among 14 to 15-year-olds declined substantially for Māori, Pacific, European, and Asian adolescents. However, these declines in smoking slowed for Māori, Pacific, and European youth after vaping emerged in 2010.
Māori health and public health researcher Associate Professor Andrew Waa from the University of Otago said the findings are especially concerning for Māori and Pacific youth, who already have much higher rates of smoking and vaping than their peers.
We sometimes hear that e-cigarettes might be a harm-reduction device for Māori and Pacific youth, by reducing or stopping them from smoking,” Waa says.
“Our study shows the opposite. Rather than supporting claims that vaping reduces harms for Māori and Pacific youth, vaping has substantially added to them. It has become a major additional source of nicotine dependence, carries its own health risks, and appears to have led to more adolescents smoking.”
In 2024, regular smoking among 14 to 15-year-olds was approximately 6.2 percent for Māori, 3.3 percent for Pacific, and 2 percent for European adolescents. However, the study found that if each group’s pre-2010 smoking trend had continued, the estimated 2024 prevalences would have been 4.2 percent for Māori, 1.8 percent for Pacific, and 0.7 percent for European adolescents.
For every 1,000 students, there were 20 more Māori, 15 more Pacific and 13 more European students smoking regularly in 2024 than there would have been if pre-2010 smoking trends had continued.
Waa says the implications extend beyond biomedical harm and into Indigenous rights and obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and international frameworks.
“Before colonisation, Māori were free from nicotine addiction. Today, nicotine from cigarettes and vapes undermines Māori self-determination by embedding dependence within our communities.”
He says governments have duties under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to reduce health inequities and protect Māori youth from commercial determinants of health.
“Policies that enable easy access to vaping products don’t just miss the mark on health – they also fall short of Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments and Aotearoa’s international obligations to address inequities affecting Indigenous peoples.”
Waa said urgent action is needed to align policy with those obligations.
“We should be closing the door on all sources of nicotine dependence, not opening new ones. Protecting Māori youth is a Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligation, and protecting all young people is a core public health responsibility.”
About the study
The study, “Trends in smoking prevalence before and after the emergence of vaping in Aotearoa/New Zealand among 14 to 15-year-olds identifying as Māori, Pacific, European, or Asian: An interrupted time series analysis of repeated cross-sectional data, 2003–2024”, is published on 5 November in the The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.
Source: New Zealand Government
The Crown has settled 14 years of negotiations with Ngāti Paoa following legislation passing its final reading in Parliament today, Treaty for Waitangi Negotiations Paul Goldsmith says.
“This is a historic day for which Ngāti Pāoa has waited far too long. The Crown has acknowledged the cumulative effect of its actions and omissions, including raupatu, the operation and impact of the native land laws and continued Crown purchasing.
“These left Ngāti Pāoa virtually landless and undermined the economic, social and cultural development of the iwi, breaching the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.
“The Crown also acknowledged it breached the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles when it invaded the Waikato, attacked Ngāti Pāoa and shelled the unfortified village of Pūkorokoro in 1863 causing the death of iwi members.
“Ngāti Pāoa have been very engaged in the legislative process for this Bill. Over 350 submissions were received by the Committee, the majority of which were from Ngāti Pāoa iwi members. Iwi representatives have also attended both the first and second readings. It was my pleasure to welcome Ngāti Pāoa back into the House today for the final reading.
“My hope is this settlement provides a platform to create a thriving future for Ngāti Pāoa and their generations to come, helping to renew and strengthen the relationship between Ngāti Paoa and the Crown.”
The Treaty settlement legislation provides:
Source: University of Otago
Aotearoa’s progress in reducing smoking has slowed for Māori, Pacific and European adolescents, and vaping could be the reason, according to research published today in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.
The study, conducted by researchers from the Universities of Otago, Auckland, and Sydney, along with the Daffodil Centre in Australia, analysed population-level data from almost 600,000 Year 10 students aged 14–15. The students were surveyed between 2003 and 2024 as part of the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Year 10 Survey.
Using interrupted time series analysis, the researchers compared smoking trends from 2003-2009 (before vaping became common in Aotearoa) with those from 2010-2024 (when vaping became increasingly common).
They found rates of regular smoking among 14-15-year-olds declined significantly for Māori, Pacific, European, and Asian adolescents between 2003 and 2024. However, these declines in smoking slowed for Māori, Pacific, and European youth after vaping emerged in 2010.
A senior author of the research, Associate Professor Andrew Waa from the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, Pōneke, says the findings are especially concerning for Māori and Pacific youth, who already have much higher rates of smoking and vaping than their peers.
“We sometimes hear that e-cigarettes might be a harm-reduction device for Māori and Pacific youth, by reducing or stopping them from smoking.
“Our results show the opposite. Rather than supporting claims that vaping reduces harms for Māori and Pacific youth, vaping has substantially added to them. It has become a major additional source of nicotine dependence, carries its own health risks, and appears to have led to more adolescents smoking.”
In 2024, regular smoking among 14-15-year-olds was approximately 6.2 per cent for Māori, 3.3 per cent for Pacific, and 2 per cent for European adolescents. However, the study found that if each group’s pre-2010 smoking trend had continued, the estimated 2024 prevalences would have been 4.2 per cent for Māori, 1.8 per cent for Pacific, and 0.7 per cent for European adolescents.
A co-author on the paper, Dr Lucy Hardie, a Research Fellow at the School of Population Health at the University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau, says the numbers make the impact clear.
“Our results indicate that, for every 1,000 students, there were 20 more Māori, 15 more Pacific and 13 more European students smoking regularly in 2024 than there would have been if pre-2010 smoking trends had continued.”
Associate Professor Waa says the implications extend beyond biomedical harm and into Indigenous rights and obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and international frameworks.
“Before colonisation, Māori were free from nicotine addiction. Today, nicotine from cigarettes and vapes undermines Māori self-determination by embedding dependence within our communities.”
He says governments have duties under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to reduce health inequities and protect Māori youth from commercial determinants of health.
“Policies that enable easy access to vaping products don’t just miss the mark on health, they also fall short of Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments and of Aotearoa’s international obligations to address inequities affecting Indigenous peoples.”
Waa says urgent action is needed to align government policy with these obligations.
“We should be closing the door on all sources of nicotine dependence, not opening new ones. Protecting Māori youth is an obligation under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and protecting all young people is a core public health responsibility.”
Notes:
The research paper, ‘Trends in smoking prevalence before and after the emergence of vaping in Aotearoa/New Zealand among 14-15-year-olds identifying as Māori, Pacific, European, or Asian: an interrupted time series analysis of repeated cross-sectional data, 2003-2024’ is published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. A companion explainer will be published in The Conversation and will be live at this link when the embargo lifts: https://theconversation.com/vaping-is-slowing-progress-in-cutting-teen-smoking-rates-in-nz-widening-inequities-for-maori-and-pacific-youth-267851
Source: NZCTU
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is calling on the Government to act in response to new data released by Stats NZ today which shows unemployment has reached a nine year high.
“The labour market took another turn for the worse today, with unemployment growing, underemployment growing, fewer hours being worked, and wages are not keeping up with inflation. This data is another sign that the Government’s economic plan is not working,” said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney.
“Unemployment is particularly acute for young people – with 15,500 more 15–24-year-olds unemployed than at the election.
“Māori unemployment is 10.5%, and Pasifika unemployment is 12.1%. A record 406,000 people are underutilised – meaning that they want more work, or access to work, but can’t get it.
“Wages increased at their lowest rate for 5 years, with the Labour Cost Index showing wage inflation of 2.1% – well below actual consumer price inflation of 3%. 44% of workers saw no pay increase at all this year and 68% saw a pay increase below inflation. Both public and private sector wages are growing at less than inflation.
“Unemployment in New Zealand is now well above the OECD average (4.9%) and comparable countries. 39,000 fewer people are in full-time work. 160,000 people are unemployed – the highest number since March 1994,” said Renney.
“This data should be a wake-up call. Youth unemployment is soaring at the same time the Government is removing benefits from 18- & 19-year-olds. Our future will be bleak if we fail to support young people into good work,” said NZCTU President Sandra Grey.
“Wages are falling behind the cost of living, and yet the Government’s response is to ask our essential workers including doctors, nurses, teachers, and fire fighters to take an effective pay cut.
“The Government is dangerously out of touch with the reality in the labour market right now. It promised to get the economy back on track and tackle the cost of living. On both of those measures it’s failing.
“Workers and their families are doing it tough. Poverty and homelessness are rising. Many workers are taking up multiple jobs just to make ends meet. We need a new approach,” said Grey.
Source: New Zealand Government
More services, made possible thanks to increased funding achieved under this government, have had a positive impact on the lives of high support needs young people and their families.
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has confirmed that over the past year, Oranga Tamariki supported an extra 59 placements for children and young people with high support needs, including disability, across 11 accredited community care providers.
“The services provided to these young people include everyday support with routines like sleeping, eating, personal carers, communication, access to school and learning, and communication with peers, whānau, and community inclusion.
They also include everyday activities, like attendance at sports and other extracurricular activities, and wider family contact are also included and are of huge benefit for these young people.
These service providers utilise trauma/healing informed care and many provide specialist disability related support, which may include visual timetables, social stories, and communication tools, to help the young person manage and avoid triggers.”
Oranga Tamariki received $99.784 million over four years to fund services for children and young people with high support needs, including disability, through Budget 2024.
“This funding has ensured that they and their families are able to receive the right support at the right time. It is just one example of my commitment to fixing what matters for these young people and their families,” says Minister Chhour.
